Winemaker Notes
Red fruit aromas, with cedar and boldo notes. On the palate it is fresh and fruity, with flavors of cherry and hints of pepper and rosemary. Silky, with velvety tannins and great mouthfeel.
Pair with beef empanadas, lamb curry and stews.
Vegan-friendly
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Sweet spices, preserved cherries and hints of white pepper and grilled herbs. Fresh, medium-bodied palate with slightly chewy tannins. From organically grown grapes with Ecocert certification. Vegan. Sustainable. Better in two more years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Primus Carmenere represents the Neyen de Apalta style well, offering woody, herbal and slightly resinous aromas against a bed of ripe yet succulent red fruit aromas. The palate is plush and layered while remaining contained and classy, concluding with a refined, elegant finish.
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Wine Spectator
Redolent with wild berry and cherry notes, this red weaves in sage, mace and mineral accents that linger nicely around fine tannins and peppery accents. Drink now through 2030. 4,300 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.
Dark, full-bodied and herbaceous with a spicy kick, Carménère found great success with its move to Chile in the mid-19th century. However, the variety went a bit undercover until 1994 when many plantings previously thought to be Merlot, were profiled as Carménère. Somm Secret— Carménère is both a progeny and a great-grandchild of the similarly flavored Cabernet Franc.
Well-regarded for intense and exceptionally high quality red wines, the Colchagua Valley is situated in the southern part of Chile’s Rapel Valley, with many of the best vineyards lying in the foothills of the Coastal Range.
Heavy French investment and cutting-edge technology in both the vineyard and the winery has been a boon to the local viticultural industry, which already laid claim to ancient vines and a textbook Mediterranean climate.
The warm, dry growing season in the Colchagua Valley favors robust reds made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbec and Syrah—in fact, some of Chile’s very best are made here. A small amount of good white wine is produced from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.